FBC arrives at Lily

The team arrived this afternoon with a smooth border crossing. Everyone is doing great. I am amazed at all the teens and their great attitudes. They have been riding in a van for several days and they have been loving on the kids from the moment they arrived. They unloaded the 3 vans and trailer and now they are reloading everything for the team that is going to Guachochi. It will be a late night but there is a sweet spirit among the organized chaos. Favorite pics: older teens who have returned that visited us today. Laurie holding a 3 month old baby (Don't worry Tim...he's not available for adoption.) Ramon sitting in his new wheelchair! Tim Juhl laying on the floor enjoying the 'fan' from Walker Baum doing the exercise equipment. The kids are soooooo hot.

Rejoicing!

The team is safely across the border...due to arrive here in a couple hours.

A good day!

A few pics of Chihuahua...cool statue of police officer holding a child. Our lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken (Mexican style/flavors, Christie and Randi and my sweet visitors. Tia Lidia came over to visit. I LOVE this lady. She is such a godly woman and so humble. My spirit was refreshed by her company and the friends that came with her. Today has been good. Christie and Randi flew in this afternoon...the first of the group. The rest of the team arrives tomorrow afternoon, the Lord willing. Please be in prayer for the team that is driving regarding the border crossing. It can be difficult or easy. just depends on the crew at the border. We were able to run MANY errands and accomplish much for the team. I was ready to go to bed early when Pedro came up to spray for bugs. (Of course I was glad to postpone sleep for this!!!) We finally purchased all the necessary things this afternoon and tonight it happened! The entire building is completely sprayed down. I am soooo thankful! However, I have been warned that the bugs will come out in the next few hours because they don't like the spray. This part is NOT good. But 2 giant wolf spiders and one tarantula are now deceased. They came out to protest. When i saw the last wolf spider i screamed for help. Boni came in the room. Unfortunately he does not like spiders either. We both ended up running out of the room screaming and a teen girl came over and killed it with her flip flop. Amazing. However, tomorrow night I am hoping to NOT experience bugs running across my body as I try to sleep. That will be good. Mark Riley always said to leave Lily better than when you arrived. This time, I am concentrating on the eternal spectrum. God has given me MANY opportunities to share Jesus Christ; from the hardware vendor to the most troubled teen. It has been amazing. When I leave Lily there will be no regrets.

Patience...

Just a few words about the above pics. Lola, one of the watch dogs sleeps outside the door and is very protective of her girls. The next pic was that of my breakfast. Yes, I said breakfast. Beans, potatoes and zucchini. It actually was very delicious! They served rice, beans and a tuna salad was good too. I can do tuna...just not in my eggs for breakfast like they have served. :/ Johanna and her hubby Pedro. Pedro was my angel today that I prayed for. I'll share more about that later. Athough Javier now lives in Aldama and is employed as a coach for many soccer teams, I had the opportunity to watch him in action at the game today. I remember when my husband and I gave him driving lessons and now he drove the team bus to Chihuahua. The boys become men, and he is a godly one. The picture of the soccer team shows a huge dusty field where they played in the HOT sun. The team played hard and I was so proud of them. A business in Chihuahua provides uniforms for them and money to play in the league. All that was required of the boys is that they play their best...and they did. The children here are just beautiful. The two girls pictured just captured my heart today. They are beautiful. The word for today....Patience. I have to re-learn that word every time I come down here. I've been busy trying to get things ready for our youth group who will be arriving on Sunday but things take 5 times longer down here. For instance: I decided to take 3 hrs out of my BUSY schedule to attend a soccer game in Chihuahua that our co-ed youth soccer team was playing at. I just can't resist when they ask me. The team played amazing...maybe because Bony joined the team and played. It ended in a tie and since it was a tournament game they left it at a tie. Mears Service Center supplied soda and chips for the entire team as the were dripping wet from playing in 103 degree weather. They LOVED the snack and refreshments. The team was so thankful. I was thinking...everything is pretty much on schedule....no worries. WRONG. Just as we pulled into Lily and dropped off the team, Papa said we needed to quickly head into Aldama to pick up some kids from school. So, that is exactly what we did. Somehow there was a huge misunderstanding. Once we arrived at the school the teachers said the children have 2 more hours. So, we headed back to the bus to go home. (This is so Mexico!) Remember, it is 103 out. The bus would not start. The guys tried to get it to work but it wouldn't. We sat on the hot bus in the sun for 1 1/2 hours before help arrived. Johanna's, husband, Pedro seemed to know what to do and he started the bus after about 5 minutes. I have never been so hot in my entire life. Every inch of me was beet red. Just before help arrived I laid my head against the seat in front of me and begged God to send help. I honestly didn't know how much longer I would last in the heat. God came through again and I praise Him! Of course I was many hours behind by the time we arrived back on campus, but progress has been made. The To Do list is still long, but I needed a refresher course on patience. I am hoping for smooth sailing ahead but won't be disappointed when the storms come. Mr. T (Tarantula) and I will be spending another night together. Spraying the living quarters for the team and getting him out of here has also been delayed until 'tomorrow'. But, that is OK. It's all part of the lesson for today.

Love

The above pics are from my day. Traveling to Chihuahua with Mama and Papa, beautiful children, Bony loving on the children and helping me translate, deep talks with the staff about the Lord (thanks to Bony), more precious children, Ramon exercising, our dorm where the team will be staying, the kitchen where we will be eating several meals and the beautiful vista of Chihuahua. I Corinthians 13... "If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end." I’ve been thinking a lot today about love and what that looks like. When you live among orphans things become more obvious. Earthly luxuries are nonexistent and life once again becomes simple. If a child is crying, you comfort them as you would your own children. If they want to play a game with you, you stop become a child again. When the children are hungry, you feed them. When they are tired, you help to tuck them in bed. You wash their dishes, cook for them, cuddle them and laugh with them. It’s actually quite simple. Life is not about us. It’s about ‘them’. This explains why some crazy Americanos visit Lily. Do we come down here for the thrill of living in 104 degree weather without fans or A/C? Perhaps it’s for the privilege of living with cockroaches that are over 2 inches long. Today as I got out of the shower there was a tarantula that greeted me under the bathroom sink. Without any bug spray I have no choice but to hope he will stay put and not surprise me as I try to sleep tonight. (Believe me, I could actually faint at the thought of this.) Despite all this, I feel honored to rub shoulders with the staff who LOVES these kids. They have devoted their lives to loving orphans. I feel like I am in the presence of spiritual giants and I want to learn how to love like them. Tonight as I sleep, besides praying that God will cause a deep sleep to come over me so I wouldn’t think about my hairy roomie, I am praying that God will help me learn how to love deeper. When I return home I pray that there will be less of me and more of HIM.

Lily Anticipation

A week from today I will be landing in Chihuahua and living with orphans once again for several days. It has been three long years since my last visit and my heart is aching to see them. Satan has been fighting this trip so I am anticipating a real moving of God in my heart as well as each member of the ministry team that will be joining me. "O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" Jeremiah 32:17